Disaster Preparedness for Libraries and Archives

Are ou prepared for earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, fires, blizzards, and leaks?

Most libraries and archives are not!

Do you have a library disaster plan?

Most libraries and archives do not!

To assist libraries in preparing for such disasters, the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) will be conducting the emergency preparedness workshop Leaky Pipes and Broken Windows at five locations statewide. One of the sessions is scheduled to be held at WMRLS on Thursday, May 22 from 9 to 4. For complete information and/or to register for this event, contact Rachel Devin, MBLC.

STCC Library 'blog

Recently I had a look at the main page of the WMRLS one blog and saw the list of library blogs there. Our STCC Library blog was not listed and so Janet asked me to send this out to let everyone know about it's existence. We've had it for a couple of years now and all the staff are able to contribute to it. It was created and is maintained by Eric Warren our Electronic Services Coordinator. Enjoy.

Visit the STCC Library Blog - http://library.stcc.edu/blogger/blogger.html

~ Lynn Coakley, STCC

Flock to the Westhampton Library

From the Westhampton Library website:

Flock to the Library Flamingo Art ~ Saturday, May 17

"Exciting news! 600 pink flamingos (original Don Featherstone models, thank you very much) have arrived in Westhampton, MA, and we need your help. To celebrate spring bird migration and help raise money for Westhampton's Town Center Library Project, the Friends of the Westhampton Memorial Library will be hosting America's first Flock to the Library event.

To make this event a success, we need you and your friends--artists, engineers, business owners, library supporters, book lovers, etc--to decorate a flamingo(s) and then bring it to Westhampton so that it can rejoin the flock on the Parsonage Lawn. We're hoping to get lots of press coverage, so your task is to be inventive as possible. (One person is already planning to outfit his flamingo with rockets and launch it into the air!) " Visit the library website for complete information: http://www.librarywesthampton.org/

Free Comic Book Day: May 3, 2008.

Libraries all over the country are going to be celebrating free comic book day with their patrons. What is Free Comic Book day? Well, to quote from the official web page: “Free Comic Book Day is a single day when participating comic book shops across North America and around the world give away comic books absolutely free to anyone who comes into their stores.” Store owners, librarians, and the comic industry use this special day to promote the world of Graphic Storytelling to the world. Be you new to comics, a long time fan, or maybe someone who hasn’t read a comic book in years, there will be a give-away that’s of interest to you! Every year, on the first Saturday of may, that is the day comic fans flock to see what’s in store for them.

So what can a library do on free comic day? Well, many stores will happy share their stock of free comics with their local library to help give away to interested patrons. Libraries can do much more than just give away though! Many host events to celebrate the world of comics. Perhaps a local comics creator will come and speak at your library, and sign books. Some libraries host readers theatre events where students will read comics out loud, each participant taking on the role of a particular character. A comics character themed scavenger hunt is great for the younger comics fans, and very easy to run. Many libraries will host an comics creation event, encouraging young comics fan to make their own comics to display. Art contests in a comic style are popular as well.

The possibilities are as endless as the imaginative power graphic novels themselves! Don’t miss the chance to draw new readers into your library on May 3rd!

Librarian as Action Hero - Take 3

Noah Wyle, former Doctor John Carter in NBC's ER, is working on his third film in TNT's The Librarian series. Filming for The Librarian: The Curse of the Judas Chalice is underway is Louisiana. Other actors in this third installment include Bruce Davidson, Jane Curtain and Bob Newhart. The Librarian, reluctant hero Flynn Carsen, works in a special collection hidden under the great library in New York City. The collection contains some of the world's greatest treasures - for a partial list check the Internet Movie Database in the trivia section of The Librarian: Quest for the Spear (2004). Of course, as an adjunct to his responsibilities, he needs to protect or recover some of the collection's contents.

If you'd like to get up to speed on Flynn Carsen's movies, TNT TV will be airing film 2, The Librarian: Return to King Solomon's Mines, on Thursday, April 17 at 11 p.m. and Sunday, April 20 at 11 a.m.

Quote from Flynn Carsen: "The fate of the world is in my hands? That's so... sad." Everyone needs a little adventure and humor. Enjoy.

~ Jan Resnick, WMRLS

Clip Art from Open Clip Art Library

National Library Week is April 13 - 19

watch video

YouTube Video Description:

Academy-award-winning actress and honorary National Library Week chairperson, Julie Andrews, discusses what libraries mean to her. National Library Week is April 13-19, 2008.

© 2008 YouTube, Inc.

"Feelings: The Perception of Self " at D'Amour Library Today

Lecture: "Feelings: The Perception of Self" ~ 3/27/08 ~ 4:00 PM
Western New England College - D'Amour Library, Room 319

Event Description:
Common sense has it backwards: feelings don't cause behavior; they are the result of behavior. In fact, feelings are the way that we know about our own actions. Professor Laird will present research indicating that people's feelings can be changed by changing their behaviors. He will then discuss the implications for our view of human beings.

For additional information about this lecture contact: Daniel Eckert deckert@wnec.edu ; 413-782-1654

History & Mystery Book List Updates

Take a look at our updated and expanded Historical Fiction (Some Place in Time) and Mystery (Deadly Pleasures) book lists updated with new titles and authors http://www.wmrls.org/services/colldev/ra_lists.html. I hope you and your readers will find them useful. If you have additional suggestions, I'd love to have them.

Don't forget that Neal Wyatt, author of The Readers' Advisory Guide to Nonfiction, will be at WMRLS on April 15 to offer her tips on nonfiction and readers' advisory services. Sign up today while there is still space http://www.wmrls.org/ce/main.html#080415.

~ Jan Resnick, Assistant Regional Administrator, WMRLS

Amherst Holds Legislative Breakfast

Friday, March 21, more than 52 library supporters attended the final 2008 western Massachusetts legislative breakfast at the Jones Library. It was a blustery day for the first Friday of Spring, but the trustees, friends, librarians, local officials and legislators had many warm things to say about libraries and their value to their communities. Speakers included: Bonnie Isman, Jones Library Director; Chair Gerald Weiss of the Amherst Select Board; Lisa Downing representing the Friends of WMRLS; Rob Maier, Director of the MA Board of Library Commissioners; Commissioner Mary Rose Quinn; Jan Resnick, WMRLS; and Joan Kuklinski, C/W MARS. In the 'Telling our Stories' segment of the program, Jones Library Trustee Kathleen Wang told of how important the library was to her as a child. Yukun Jia, high school student, spoke of the value of the Jones Library English as a Second Language program tutors who were able to help her parents learn English which helped them find jobs in their new country.

State Senator Stan Rosenberg spoke of his support for libraries and his concern that a November ballot question to eliminate the income tax might jeopardize libraries and other community services. Representative Ellen Story commented on the many valuable services libraries offer and that their cooperation improves services and controls costs. Representative Kulik appreciates WMRLS efforts to bring high speed Internet access to the libraries in the 16 communities he serves, and he has seen those cars sitting outside the libraries taking advantage of the WiFi access provided through the project. Representative Scibak used the statewide databases from his home to prepare for the lengthy casino hearings held this week. All the legislators encouraged breakfast attendees to come to the State House April 2 and speak out for libraries. (Join us on the bus http://wmrls.blogspot.com/2008/03/library-legislative-day-take-bus.html).

~ Jan Resnick, Assistant Regional Administrator, WMRLS

Reading for the Light ~ Worthington Library

Worthington Library recently hosted a very successful program series entitled “Reaching for the Light”. In a town where a quorum for a special town meeting is 21 people, we were thrilled to average 20 at each of the five sessions. For four weeks, a minister or spokesperson for a different spiritual path practiced in Worthington spoke about their spiritual practices. We had a Buddhist, a Sufi, a Christian and a Pagan. The last week, brought all of them together in a panel. The response was extremely favorable. Many folk would have liked for the discussions to continue and all learned a lot about the differences and similarities of these paths. It was a great way to bring people together during the winter months.

~ Leona Arthen, Director, Worthington Library

Clip Art from LibraryClipArt.com

Troubleshooting Computer Problems

WebJunction is now offering a free course titled "Troubleshooting Computer Problems". This 1.5 hour self-paced online course is free to all WebJunction members (and WebJunction membership is free).

• Course information
• Register to become a WebJunction member (free)

Ghost Hunters in Belchertown

Check out the Sci-Fi Promo for Ghost Hunters at the Clapp Memorial Library Broadcast!

On Wednesday, March 19, the Sci Fi Channel will reveal the presence, or not, of a ghost in the Belchertown Library. In November, the Ghost Hunters visited the Clapp Memorial Library with their sensor equipment to check for the ghost or ghosts that have appeared to various staff over the years. The custodian at the library contacted the show. The season opener will be broadcast at 9 p.m. We wonder if the ghosts exist, will they support the library's proposed expansion grant? The full report and photos appear in the March 18 edition of the Springfield Republican.

Library Focus of Ghost Hunters by John Appleton in The Republican, Tuesday, March 18, 2008

See Also: November 28, 2007 WMRLS-One-Blog posting Sci-Fi Ghost Hunters Visit Clapp Memorial Library

~ Jan Resnick, Assistant Regional Administrator